Abnormal EKG Risky for Some Athletes

Abnormal results from electrocardiograms (EKGs) may be anearly warning sign of rare heart problems in some athletes.

Italian researchers report that news in The New England Journal ofMedicine.

Most athletes have strong, healthy hearts. But some have genetic, structuralheart problems that can be fatal, even though the athlete has no symptoms .

Doctors from Italy's National Olympic Committee have been studying athletes'EKGs, searching for clues about those heart problems, which are calledcardiomyopathies.

More than 12,000 young, elite Italian athletes got EKGs between 1979 and2001. They were followed for nine years, on average.

During that time, 81 athletes had abnormal EKGs with no signs of structuralheart problems at the time of the EKG . Only five of themdeveloped cardiomyopathies, including one who died while training despiteorders not to train or compete because of heart risks.

For comparison, no cases of cardiomyopathy developed among 229 top-notchItalian athletes who had normal EKGs during the study period.